Automatic weighing and cut-off apparatus.



No. 632,773. Paitented Sept. l2, I899.

A.- T. WILKINS & D. DEVER.

AUTOMATICWEIGHING AND CUT-OFF APPARATUS.

(Application filed June 24 1899.;

(No Mode l I 2 SheetsSheet L Witnesses. I Inventor;

Maww Mg 2 WMWMWMV Attorneys.

THE noams PETERS cc PHOTD-LITHO,, WASHINGTON, a. u

m, 632,773. v Patented Sept. 12, 1899. A. T. WILKINS & n. DEVER.AUTOMATIC WEIGHING AND CUT-OFF APPARATUS.

(Application filed June 24. 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Shaets-Sheet -2.

w an, c8

Witnesses. Inventor a mzw Mauro rm Ml Attorneyfi rm: NORRIS PETERS co.puavoumou wAsmnm'ou. u c

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcis.

ALFRED T. WILKINS AND DANIEL DEVER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- SYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING AND' CUT-OFF APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,773, datedSeptember 12, 1899. Application filed June 24, 1899. Serial No. 721,682.(No modeL) To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ALFRED T. \VILKINs and DANIEL DEVER, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of PhiladelphimandState of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Improvement inAutomatic'Weighing and Out-0ft Apparatus, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

I Our invention relates to an automatic weighing and cut-cit apparatusfor beer and other liquids, and has for its object the provision ofmeans for drawing off liquid from a supply-reservoir and automaticallyshutting olf the flow after a predetermined quantity has been deliveredto the vessel provided for the reception of the liquid; also, theprovision of an antomatically-operated valve for cutting oil the supplywhich shall be independent of the manually-controlled spigot or faucetand which shall be normally open to admit liquid thereto; also, theprovision of a special form of valve adapted to the special purpose ofthe invention; also, to providea scale specially adapted to the controlof the independent cut-off valve.

The invention consists in the arrangement of the valve independently ofthe spigot or faucet, in the means for controlling the valve,

in a slidable weight for quickly shutting cit the valve, in thearrangement of mechanism with reference to the ice-chests for coolingthe beer or other liquid preparatory to withdrawing the same, in thedetails of construction of the special valve, and in various details ofconstruction of the weighing and valveoperating mechanism.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the ice-chests, shown insection, beer-coils, spigot, weighing and cutoff mechanism, andconnections. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the weighingand cut-ollmechanism and the valve. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2,the valve being shown in its open position. Fig. 4 is a view similar toFig. 3, the valve being shown in its closed position. Fig. 5 is asection on the line 5 5, Fig. 4.

A is the lower ice-chest; B, the coil of pipe in the lower ice-chest,adapted to be connected with a source of supply; B, the coil of pipe inthe upper ice-chest; B a pipe connecting the lower coil with the uppercoil; 13, a pipe leading to the spigot; B, the spigot,which is of theusual construction.

Interposed in the pipe connection B is a valve-casing containing therotatable valve 0. The valve-casing is formed in two parts D E. The partD incloses the valve at the side and at one end andhasthe'screw-threaded openings D D at opposite sides,adapted to beconnected, respectively, with the section of pipe B leading from thecoil B, and the section of pipe B leading to the coil B, the opening Dbeing constricted and adapted to be closed by the valve 0. The end wallof part D of the valve-casing has an annular flange D which is supportedfrom bracket D and is screw-threaded at its outer end to receive the nutD of the valve-casing and has a screw-thread on its periphery engaging ascrew-thread on the inner end of part D. The rotatable valve consists ofthe member 0, having the shoulder c and stem 0 the upper end of whichhas a bearing in the inclosure 0 which is secured at the ends to thevalve-stems c A coiled spring 0 surrounds the stem 0 and keeps the valvemember 0 in close-fitting contact with the circular wall of thevalve-casing. The valve-stem 0 extends within the end wall of themember 1) of the valve-casing. Engaging the annular flange D is the boltchand be tween the bolt 0 and valve-stein 0 within the annular flange Dis a coiled spring 0 By means of this bolt and spring the pressure ofthe valve against the wall E of the valvecasiug can be accuratelyregulated so as to maintain a tight joint at that point. The valve-stem0'' extends through end wall E and has a square head 0, which engagesthe end of the square shaft F, supported in hearings in the other arm ofthe bracket D.

The scale consists of a platform upheld by a sliding weight and theparticular mechanism constituting the same and its connection with theshart F. v

G is alever tight on the shaft F, having a stop 9 near its inner end andorifices g toward its outer end, either of which is adapted to receivethe removable ring The part E forms the other end wall is a weighthaving a bifurcated supportingbar g, carrying at its top theroller g,which is adapted to slide upon the top surface of the lever G. Theweight normally holds the lever G in the position indicated in Figs. 1and 3, the bar 9 engaging the ring 9 Projecting down through the top ofthe lower ice-chest is a post 7L, carrying at its upper end the platformH, and pivoted at its lower end to the link 71 which is tight on the endof shaft F. The top of post h is also pivoted to one end of aguiding-link 7L2, )ivoted at the other end to a support If on the plate7L. The plate 7L extends beneath the link and around the post and isbolted to the top of the lower ice-chest.

When the weighing mechanism is in the normal position, (shown in Figs. 1and 2,) the valve is in the open position. (Shown in Fig. 3.) The ringis adjusted on the lever G, so that the weight will be in a position tobe lifted by a determined weight on the platform II. The receptacle tobe filled is placed on the platform II. runs into the receptacle untilthe weight is suffieient to tilt the lever G. As the lever G swingstoward a horizontal position the valve 0 is gradually moved toward itsclosed position, and when the lever is tilted so that its outer end isjust above the level of the shaft the weight g quickly slides downtoward the shaft until roller g strikes stop g, quickly closing thevalve 0. (See Fig. 4:.) There being now no pressure behind the beer inthe upper coil 13 the flow from spigot B' is cut off. The spigot B isnow closed, the filtered receptacle is lifted off the platform H, andthe weight slides back to its initial position, returning all the partsto their normal positions and opening the valve C.

It will be observed that the valve 0 is en tirely independent of spigot13* and that no adjustment of spigot 13' is necessary preparatory torunning oil the beer or other liquid. The spigot is always ready for useand oper ates at once in the ordinary way and continues to so operateuntil a predetermined quantity is run off. The valve is admirablyadapted to the special purpose for which it is designed and is closedfirst slowly to balance the scales and then quickly as soon as thescales are very slightly over-balanced.

The precise details of construction shown need not of course be adheredto, and we do not restrict ourselves to such details except wherein weparticularly claim them.

The measuring of beer by weight instead of by volume is advantageous byreason of the specific gravity of beer varying greatly with variationsof pressure.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire toprotect by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic weighing and cut-elf apparatus for liquids, thecombination, with the manually-controlled spigot, of a separate andindependent valve,a pipe connection from the The spigot B is opened, andthe'beer valve to the spigot, and a scale connected with the valveadapted to receive a vessel and normally holding the valve open butadapted to be moved to close said valve when the weight of the vesselplus the weight of the entering liquid exceeds a predetermined amount.

2. In an automatic weighing and cut-oif apparatus for liquids, thecombination, with the manually-controlled spigot, of a separate andindependent valve, a pipe connection from the valve to the spigot, ascale connected with the valve and comprising a platform underneath thespigot for holding the vessel to be filled and a weighted lever normallyupholding the platform and holding the valve open but adapted to bemoved to close said valve when the weight of the vessel plus the weightof the entering liquid exceeds a predetermined amount.

In an automatic weighing and cut-off apparatus for liquids, thecombination, with the manually controlled spigot, of a separate valve, apipe connection from the spigot to the valve, a platform, a post, ashaft conneeted with the valve a link connecting the post and the shaft,a downward]y-extending lever connected to the shaft, a balance-weightslidable upon said lever and normally operating through said shaft tohold said valve in its open position and said platform in its elevatedposition, the valve being closed and the lever tilted upwardly by thedepression of said platform, permitting the weight to slide on saidlever toward the shaft.

st. The combination with the lower and upper ice-chests, of a coil ofpipe in each chest, a pipe connection from the one coil to the other, avalve interposed in said pipe connecnection and in the lower chest, aspigot on the exterior of the upper chest and connected with the coiltherein, a scale for holding the vessel to be filled located beneathsaid spigot and connected with said valve and normally acting to holdsaid valve in its open position and adapted to be moved to close saidvalve when a predetermined weight of liquid has entered said vessel.

5. In an automatic weighing and cut-off apparatus, the combination withthe manuallycontrolled spigot, of a separate valve, a pipe connectionfrom the source of supply to the spigot, the valve being interposed insaid connection, a shaft for actuating said valve, a lever secured tosaid shaft, a weight slidable on said lever and normally holding saidvalve open, a platform connected with said shaft and adapted to bedepressed when gradually loaded to tilt said shaft and weighted lever,and move said valve toward its closed position until said lever istilted to permit the weight to slide and suddenly close the valve.

6. The valve 0, comprising the member 0, the stem 0 the inclosure c andthe coiled spring 0, in combination with the valve-casing, and avalve-stem having its bearing in said casing, a shaft connected imam,

both sides of said casing, the said pipe connection being in constantcommunication with one side of the valve-chamber, its oo1nmunicationwith the other side of said valve-chamber being shut off by the shiftingof the valve.

7. In an automatic weighing and cut-off apparatus for liquids, thecombination, with the normally-controlled spigot, of a separate andindependent valve, a pipe connection from the valve to the spigot, aplatform underneath the spigot for holding the vessel to be filled, ashaft F connected with said valve and said platform, a lever G connectedwith said shaft, a Weight slidable upon said lever and normally holdingthe shaft turned to uphold the

